Goodbye 2008

The year 2008 has come to its last day today. It has been a long but yet an exciting year for my stamp/postmark collection. I do enjoy much sharing my collection in this blog. I would like to conclude this year blogging with an entry showing postmarks of 31 December, 2008. I wish everyone has a fruitful, successful and wonderful year ahead.

Kajang PPB1, Selangor; date: 31 December, 2008
Kajang PPB2, Selangor; date: 31 December, 2008
B.B. Bangi 01, Selangor; date: 31 December, 2008

Malaysia Postmarks 030

Universiti K. Lumpur K1 (Universiti Malaya); date: 24 December, 2008
PP SS16 Subang Jaya K1, Selangor; date: 28 December, 2008
Pusat Mel Kuala Lumpur M2, Wilayah Persekutuan KL; date: 24 December, 2008

Revenue Stamps - 1975-1983

Below is a set of revenue stamps issued during the period of 1975-1983. I think the denomination $1000 is the highest value for any of the revenue stamps issued by Malaysia postal authority.

Wilayah Persekutuan - Perforation Varieties

For the latest Wilayah Persekutuan state definitive stamps (six denominations were issued on 31 December, 2007), variety in perforation has been recorded for denominations 5 sen and 10 sen. Two different perforations in existence, i.e. P14x13.75 and P14.75x14.5. Perforation P14x13.75 is more common than perforation P14.75x14.5.

5 sen; P14x13.75
5 sen; P14.75x14.5
10 sen; P14x13.75
10 sen; P14.75x14.5

Kelantan - Sheet Control Number 000000

Pos Malaysia issued a stamp set on 15 December, 2004 to commemorate silver jubilee of coronation of Sultan Ismail Petra as the Sultan of Kelantan. I obtained a stamp set of bottom left corner containing margin printed with control number 000000. I think the number is beautiful.

A Cover from Commonwealth of Dominica

Michael from France went to Commonwealth of Dominica for holiday/work. He wanted to send me a postcard from Commonwealth of Dominica but too rush to find a postcard, therefore he sent me a nice cover instead. The cover was sent on 8 December, 2008.

2005 Bird Definitives RM1 - 2008/1

The serial number for RM1 bird defintive is now 2008/1..........

2005 Bird Definitives 30 sen - 2008/8

The serial number for 30 sen bird defintive is now 2008/8..........

A Cover from Great Britain

I received this simple yet nice cover a couple of days ago. It is actually a Christmas card sent to me by a very good friend of mine - Jeo. I like this cover because the postmark is clear. The cover was cancelled at Chelmsford Mail Centre in London on 23 December, 2008. I couldn't help to notice that the postage is now 81p! I still remember, I stuck 41p stamp on letter back to 1995!

Malaysia Postmarks 029

Pusat Mel Bukit Raja M6, Selangor; date: 19 August, 2007
Kuala Krau, Pahang; date: 2 October, 2007
Kajang, Selangor; date: 18 October, 2000
Bandar Baru Bangi, Selangor; date: 6 November, 2000

Malaysia Postmarks 028

Port Dickson, Negeri Sembilan; date: 19 May, 2001
Temerloh, Pahang; date: 17 February, 2003
Tangkak, Johor; date: 16 December, 2008
Kluang, Johor; date: 13 December, 2008

Malaysia - Registered Cover (Jementah)

I bought this cover some time ago from a stamp dealer. I quite like the cover because the postmarks are clear. This cover was sent from Jementah on 16 August, 1980 by Loh Yok Sin (Jementah) to International Postal Auction (Kuala Lumpur). The cover travelled to Segamat (16 August, 1980) first before arriving at Kuala Lumpur on 17 August, 1980.

postmark: Jementah, 16 August, 1980
postmarks (from left to right): Segamat, 16 August, 1980; Jementah, 16 August, 1980; Kuala Lumpur, 17 August, 1980

Malaysia - Slogan Postmark

The slogan postmark shown at below image reads as:

HARI ALAM SEKITAR SEDUNIA 1979
5HB JUN, 1979
ALAM SEMULAJADI ADALAH WARISAN KITA
KEKALKANLAH

The translation of the slogan message is:

World Environmental Day 1979
5th June, 1979
Natural Environment is Our Heritage
Preserve It

Pulau Pinang; 27 June, 1979

Germen Cover - Tax

I received a Germen letter sent on 18 August, 2004. I think the postage of the mail was underpaid, therefore it was stamped with a tax postmark. However, the cover managed to reach me without any problem.

Malaysia Postmarks 027

Sarikei M1, Sarawak; date: April 28, 1993
Universiti K2, Kuala Lumpur (Universiti Malaya); date: December 15, 2008
Kuala Lumpur M.33 ; date: December 16, 2008
Semerah M, Johor; date: December 13, 2008
Ayer Hitam M, Johor; date: December 13, 2008

2008 - Premier Schools

Finally, Pos Malaysia released its last stamp issue for year 2008 on 16 December, 2008. The last stamp issue is on the topic Premier Schools. Four schools have been chosen for this stamp issue. They are SMK Convent Bukit Nenas and SMK Victoria in Kuala Lumpur; SMK St. Thomas in Kuching, Sarawak; and SM All Saints in Kota Kinabalu, Sabah. All the stamps have denomination 50 sen.

SMK Convent Bukit Nenas
SMK Victoria
SMK St. Thomas
SM All Saints

Water lily and Lotus

Are water lily and lotus similar? How do I tell if it is a water lily or lotus? These are the few frequently asked questions when one bumps into water lily/lotus. Actually, water lily and lotus are quite different plants, and they are from different plant families! Water lily is clasified under family Nymphaeaceae whereas lotus is classified under family Nelumbonaceae. But how do we differentiate water lily from lotus? Actually, the easiest way is by looking into the leaf shape. Lotus has complete round leaf, but water lily has round leaf with radical notch.

Postal authorities of Australia and Thailand had a joint issue on 6 August, 2002. Both the countries issued a lotus (Nelumbo nucifera) and a water lily(Nymphaea immutablis) stamps.

Nelumbo nucifera
Nymphaea immutablis
Nelumbo nucifera
Nymphaea immutablis

Carnivorous Plants - Thailand

I always fancy floral stamps particularly of those depicting carnivorous plants. Thai Postal Authority released a set of beautiful stamps on carninovour plants on 9 October, 2006. Four stamps depicting Nepenthes mirabilis (pitcher plant), Rafflesia kerrii (Rafflesia flower), Sapria poilanei and Drosera burmannii were issued. Postal authority of Brunei also released this kind of stamps in year 2000. Click here to see the Brunei stamp set.

Nepenthes mirabilis
Rafflesia kerrii
Sapria poilanei
Drosera burmannii
miniature sheet containing all the four stamps in the set